Castle Town
Link stood, feeling so small, amazed by Hyrule's grandiosity. "Wow! So many people!"
Market stalls dotted the roadsides, bustling with shoppers and pedestrians. The nearest stall from Link was selling baked goods, piles of tomatoes and Mighty Bananas in their own baskets, two ladies chatting with the merchant. A father and son walked by, holding hands. A boy in a hat chased a mutt; a girl in a yellow dress chased a chicken. A bearded old man, wearing a turban and smoking a pipe, was sitting in a small wagon loaded with a big sack. At the second storey of a large building, a man leaned out the window, hand across his forehead, as if he were looking for someone.
Link could barely comprehend the size and activity of the market. "This is the world?"
A large building rang aloud.
BOGGLE
"What a big building!"
A great bell rang from the steeple of a stone temple.
BOGGLE
"Navi, which one's the castle?" Link checked his map, which had updated to reveal the new shape and size of the town. Even with the help of his compass, Link was unable to figure out directions.
Navi fared no better. "Uh... Hmm..."
So Link wandered around. He came upon two mustached men, one in a red shirt laughing away, the other in a blue shirt gesticulating wildly.
The guy in blue noticed Link. "I wanted to see Princess Zelda! I avoided the guards... swam through the moat... I was almost there when they caught me! I found a small drain hole on the right side of the castle that I thought I could sneak into, but I got stuck there."
The guy in red laughed away. "Wha-ha-ha! What a crazy guy! Can you believe this guy was crazy enough to try to sneak into the castle to see Princess Zelda? All because of this idiot, they've tightened security at the castle. Wha-ha-hah!"
Link figured to take that to mind.
A bald man carrying a sack ran by. He then ran on the spot, though wasn't going anywhere. "Huff huff! I'm late! I'm late! For a very important date!" His leg movement allowed him to move again; off he went.
Navi watched him go. "Was that an Alice in Wonderland reference?"
Link wandered around, trying to find his direction. Nearby, a dense group of people bartered as a stall, the merchant always busy moving about.
Someone asked, "Hey, have you heard that Princess Zelda sees prophetic visions in her dreams?"
A greedy buyer complained, "Hey, let go! It's mine! I found it first!"
Link went on.
A guy stood by a building, wearing a white sleeveless shirt and green pants, a large beard hanging from his face. "Ahem! Hrrrm! This beard is my pride and joy! Doesn't it look luxuriant, kid?!"
Not really, no...
Navi giggled. "Agreed, Link."
The girl in yellow ran by, unable to catch the chicken, Link watching them go. She stopped, looking at Link while steadily flapping her arms from frustration.
Around the central fountain of the market square, a couple happily spun in each other's arms. "Ohh... You are...so handsome... Just like the King of Hyrule... Hee hee..."
"Ohh... You are...more beautiful...than Princess Zelda... Ohh..."
Navi frowned. "Did he literally compare the attractiveness of an adult woman to a child?" She flew to him. "Bitch, what the hell?!"
...Next, Link came upon a nice brunette wearing a pale purple dress.
She elaborated, "Do you know about the Temple of Time that we have in the northeast part of town? Legends say that the Temple of Time is the entrance to the Sacred Realm... Did you know that?"
Link stared quietly. No, I didn't. Thanks for telling me.
Nearby was an elderly man with a heavy beard and long hair, wearing a blue gown and blue cap. "Have you heard the legend of the Shadow Folk? They are the Sheikah...the shadows of the Hylians. They say they swore allegiance to the King of Hyrule and guarded the Royal Family. But with the long peace, no one has seen a Sheikah around here for a long time."
Hunched nearby was a very short, old lady. She commented, "I made a lot of money! Maybe I should go look for more things to sell! I know! I should go to Lake Hylia! Many things float down the river and end up there! Hah hah!"
Link thought, I'll keep that in mind.
Nearby, a blondie in a blue T shirt and yellow skirt had her arms raised, twisting to and fro. "I'm not dancing, you know... My back itches! Ooh! Aaah! Ooh!"
Navi hovered close to Link. "People here are kinda weird..."
A staircase by a building went up to a catwalk, the catwalk cross the same building and leading to roofing above a market stall. Link ascended the stairs, ran across the catwalk, and found a man standing tall, opened hand across his forehead. He seemed to be continuously looking for something.
He commented, "They saw we Hylians have big ears in order to hear voices of the gods...but I've never heard them!"
Link blinked once, twice. "Oh. I never would have guessed."
Someone caught Link's eye; a redhead with immense, rich, red hair and blue eyes. She wore a white dress, yellow scarf, and leather shoes.
Hands together, the redhead gently swayed while humming quietly to herself. She noticed Link approaching her. "Hey! Your clothes! They're...different... You're not from around here, are you? .. ... ... ... ... ... Ohh... You're a fairy boy from the forest! My name is Malon! My dad owns Lon Lon Ranch!" She was quite a bubbly thing. "Dad went to the castle to deliver some milk, and he hasn't come back yet..."
Link thought of the wagoner who picked him up earlier that day. This redhead, Malon, clearly wasn't onboard when Link was, so she must have been here for a while. "Umm, where's the castle?"
Malon gestured northward, where the largest building towered. "Over there, Mr. Perspective."
Link nodded. "Ah, OK. If I see your dad, I'll tell him you're waiting."
Malon smiled. "Thanks! See you around, fairy boy!" She went back to humming her song.
Link walked off, watching pooches running around, the boy in a hat still chasing the same one. Over yonder, a matronly woman with a bun hairstyle, wearing a large white dress patterned with yellow shapes amid vertical purple lines. She had perhaps too much red lipstick on, though seemed a nice person. Once Link neared, she said, "My precious puppy can run faster than any of the other mutts around here! My precious little puppy's fur coat is very special compared to the other mutts around here!"
Since the boy in a hat couldn't catch the puppy, her words surely were true.
Eventually, Link sat down, tired and sick. "All that travelling...I'm so hungry... I can barely move..." His stomach churned.
GRGL
Navi flew in. "Hang in there, Link! You just had some milk, right?"
A nearby market stall stacked with burgers and cookies caught Link's attention. The merchant, a fat guy with curly hair and a mustache, flapped his arms excitedly.
Link leered over the baked goodies, eyes and tongue big. "Ahh! Food!"
"Welcome! It's cheap! You'll be sorry if you don't stop and look!"
Cheeks stuffed with food, Link shoveled handfuls down his throat. "Mm... Good!"
CHOMP
CHOMP
CHOMP
CHOMP
"It's a hundred times better than the fruit in the forest!"
Link cluelessly held an armful of food: A long sandwich. A big bite taken out of an apple. Mighty Bananas. Even a fish.
DA-DA-DUM
"Hey, kid! You've got money for all that, right?"
Link innocently looked up at the grownups, cheek and arms full of food.
Navi's wings wilted.
Link just nibbled a big cookie while innocently looking up at the grownups. "Money? What's that?"
Nearby women turned their heads. "Impudent brat!" "Thief!" Behind them walked a young girl in a dress, her blonde hair left mostly loose at shoulder length, though had two lengths braided sideways around her head, then joining together and hanging as a single braid. Well, she noticed the commotion...
Link was hoisted up by two disgruntled men. The boy flailed his arms, eyes shut, clenched teeth showing.
"Hey!" Navi yelled, "Leave him alone!" She was ignored.
"Hm?" An assailant eyed something. "What have we here?" He held the Kokiri's Emerald, which looked suitably valuable.
Link's heart pounded. "Agh!"
Navi rang aloud...
The young girl in a dress approached the commotion of boys, lots of food scattered on the road, wasted.
"Give it back! Give it back!" the boy in green yelled, his fairy buzzing around.
"Pay for your meal and you can have it back!"
"Wait!" the young girl exclaimed.
The group turned their heads, beholding the young girl. Despite her youthful innocence, a strong sense of womanhood already abounded in her eyes and demeanor. "I'll pay for him. Give back the stone."
An Orange Rupee appeared amidst the men. Their eyes filled with love of greed, faces contorted from such a handsome bribe. "200 rupees?!"
While merchants bickered over ownership of the Orange Rupee, the girl grabbed the boy's arm. He held his precious stone in his other hand. She pulled him to a run.
Irritated, he demanded, "Who are you?"
She looked back, slightly annoyed. "It doesn't matter. Hurry!"
Link let himself be led by the random girl, evading the greedy merchants. A modest fountain awaited them, gushing waters. Link sat on the fountain wall to take a break, Navi hovering nearby.
The young girl stood with her arms behind her back, right heel off the ground. "So, you're from the forest, eh?"
"Yeah."
Navi caught her breath, looking around. No mean men anywhere. "Phew!"
Link held the Kokiri's Emerald at chest height so his friend could see. "Thanks. This thing is really important."
The girl kindly stood with a small smile. "It's a pretty stone."
Link stared at the green crystal. "It's the Kokiri's Emerald." He looked back at her. "The Great Deku Tree told me to give it to Princess Zelda."
"Really?"
Link happily hopped off the fountain. "That's why I have to go to the castle!"
Navi beamed. " Bye!"
"But I doubt you can get into the castle all by yourself." Her words made Link stop. "The guards are pretty strict."
He turned, face flat with confusion. "Huh?"
The girl held her chin, pondering.
"What should we do, Navi?" Link asked.
"..."
The girl leaned to Link, smiling, hands eagerly together. "I'll make you a deal. You play with me today..." Link stared back, lips parted, almost confused. "...and if you do, I'll take you to see Princess Zelda."
Link opened his mouth squarely. "Really?"
The girl stood sideways and tilted her head, winking. "She's a great friend of mine. Here, I'll prove it!" She held a blue ocarina, larger than Link's. She wiggled the instrument as she faced him, then handed it over.
"An ocarina?" Link stared at it, Navi hovering closely to also get a better look. "Hm? This mark..."
The girl put her finger over her lips. "Uh-oh!"
A statuesque woman approached, one hand on her side, and followed by two guards. She was much taller and more muscular than even most men, her lips plump. Despite having white hair, she did not look beyond her thirties. Her red eyes were mean though she had a stately demeanor, the white tattoos beneath either eye accentuating her gaze. Her shorts and short-sleeved shirt were tight and blue, a tall collar around her neck, beneath that a symbol over her cleavage, of an eye with a large falling teardrop. A cuirass, matched to her shape and breasts, protected her torso while also showing some sex appeal. Long, black wrist bands almost reached her elbows. Lastly, a tanto was sheathed sideways behind her lower back.
The stately woman eyed Link down. "Young man, have you seen a noble girl around here? She has blonde hair and blue eyes."
Link looked like a startled puppy. "N-No, m-ma'am. GULP"
She pointed over yonder, her guards rushed forth.
TRUMP
TRUMP
While the authorities left, Link faced the fountain, face blank.
The blondie was secretly sitting behind the fountain, hands on her knees, smiling like a clever cat. "Thanks."
Navi neared Link's face, wings tilted back. "Hey, Link, are you sure about this? There's something strange about that girl."
WHISPER
"But...she says she can take us to Princess Zelda."
"OK, let's go! That shop over there looks interesting!"
Y
A
N
K
Link's legs flung off the ground, teeth gritted, mouth wide, his body backwards as his friend pulled him across the market.
The girl stood by a stall, labelled MANJU. She extended her arms, making an exchange.
The merchant was a rounded fellow who looked nice. "Thanks!"
Meanwhile, Navi bobbed in the air, her forehead throbbing. "You're sweet on her!"
Link rubbed the back of his head, eyes slightly narrowed, face round, kitty-mouthed. "Well she is really cute..."
(Love heart)
The girl sang, "I bought a bunch!" She held a huge sack of cakes overflowing with round faces, labeled GORON MANJU and having a picture of such a cake on the side.
YIKES!
Link reared sideways, arms bent away.
Navi felt awkward. "Manju are small cakes filled with sweet bean paste."
Link stood, holding the immense bag of sweets, Navi hovering above them.
Hands on her cheeks, the girl lowered her face, blushing deeply, eyes closed. "I got extra because the shopkeeper said I was cute!"
(Love heart)
SQUEAL
While the girl squealed, Link held the sack between his arm and body. With his other hand, he began stuffing his face with manju.
Eventually, the girl's blushing faded, overhearing Link's chewing and rummaging. "Hey, don't go eating them up all by yourself!"
Cheeks rounded like manju, Link munched away. "Hm? What do you mean?"
"Hey!" Navi called, hovering before Link's squirrel cheeks. "The Great Deku Tree wanted us to go to visit the princess at Hyrule Castle... Shouldn't we get going?"
His answer was just chewing.
After snacks, the friends stood before a building with a strange poster, depicting some sort of toy mouse.
The girl slightly leaned. "Bombchu bowling... What's that?"
"I don't know either."
Inside was long and open, walls made of red bricks, floor of grey tile. By the entrance, at a corner, was a large gramophone playing happy music. A sharp, shimmering noise sounded amid clucks.
A cute woman with dark purple hair and green eyes sat behind the counter, cheek on her palm, sleeping despite all the noise and neon lighting. Beside her was a pink tray where two pink flowers grew from. "zzzzz...zzzzz..." Her eyes opened, she paused.
"Huh? Wha-!
Uh-oh!
A customer!"
She put her hands down. "Welcome to our cutting-edge amusement center: The Bombchu Bowling Alley! Do you wan to know what you can win? Well, it's a secret. I can't tell you until you've paid to play. It's 30 Rupees per game. Do you want to play?"
Link's friend stepped forth. "Yes."
"OKAY! Aim for the hole in the center and let Bombchu go! You get ten tries. Ready... LET'S BOWL! Oh, I almost forgot! Here's what you can win!" An explosion unfurled beside her, harmlessly revealing a Purple Rupee.
V RO O M
A Bombchu zigzagged across the floor, the hall colored like the keys of a piano. The mousy bomb snaked amid chickens and a bladed mechanism sliding to and fro, then entered the target. A series of rapid explosions reacted heavily, the blasts going about like crazy as the back wall collapsed.
KABOO M
RATTLE
RATTLE
A big chicken in the hall jumped, eyes big, flapping amid explosions, smoking yet unharmed.
"YAAAY! This is fun!"
Link jumped with joy, raising his arm, while the girl happily held her hand at shoulder height.
Despite the extensive explosions, the owner was asleep. "zzz..."
The friends each took a Bombchu.
"Hey, what's Princess Zelda like?" Link asked. "Is she pretty?"
The girl aimed her Bombchu. "Yeah, I guess..."
Grumpily cross-eyed, mouth wide, teeth gritted, Link grumbled to Navi, "Nah! I bet she's really ugly!"
Annoyed, eyebrows up, the girl turned and dropped her Bombchu.
V
R
O
O
OOOM
KA
BO
O
M
The big chicken squawked, jumping about, eyes huge.
RATTLE
RATTLE
While Link was hidden within the explosion, the blondie pleasantly bowled her next Bombchu.
The owner partly opened her eyes. "Huh?"
Link stood in pure confusion, covered with scratches and bruises, tonging hanging, eyes swirling. Navi's wings wilted.
Presumably, they didn't win.
"Play again?" the owner asked happily.
Link wobbled amid his smoking body. "No."
"Okay, you don't have to if you don't want to." She went back to sleep.
Next, the trio entered a small store, outside resembling a mask outline, interior likewise rimmed with the appearance of a mask. The owner was a ginger fellow, wearing purple and with gold linings, grinning with his eyes shut. Link and his friend had their hands upon the counter, where Link pointed at the masks upon two sets of shelving...
The friends exited. Link wore a partial cap having long bunny ears and a bunny face, pointing at it as he ran along, bunny ears flopping about. The lass happily ran alongside him, holding the white triangular mask with red markings above her head, laughing away.
The bunny and his girlfriend scurried to a building, having a large poster with an arrow and target. In they went...
Inside was decent, though not as large as the Bombchu Bowling Alley. Behind the counter sat a mountainous man with thick lips. He wore a vest left open, his hairy chest visible, gorillian hands resting upon the countertop. Mounted on the brick wall were a scythe, spear, bighorn skull, and the head of a large panther. Hanging from the ceiling beams was a black lantern.
The children approached the owner...
"Do you want to play a game? It's 20 Rupees per play."
"Yes."
"OKAY! This is a game for grownups! Hyrule's famous shooting gallery! Take aim at the targets from that platform over there! Can you hit ten targets? You get fifteen shots!
Draw your weapon.
Are you ready?
Go for a perfect score!
Good luck!"
The children scurried up a few steps. At the back of the range was an image of a desert with a blue sky and cactus.
A whistle loudly blew.
Rupees appeared, sliding to and fro underneath ropes as targets... Link easily shot them.
Donning the bunny face, girlfriend was next at aiming the Fairy Slingshot as a Rupee arose from a floor opening.
SPINK
She hit it dead center. Link was happy, mouth open. She kept shooting, each Rupee that appeared shattering from her accuracy.
"Wonderful!
Bravo!
Perfect!" cheered the owner. "Allow me to give you a fantastic present!"
Girlfriend stood, happily staring at the Rupee glowing above her hands. Link straightened his arm into a triumphant punch, happy for his friend.
"That was fun!" Link opened the door.
KREAK
Before them, the market square and streets were empty and dark, no one else in sight.
Link hopelessly stared into the night, stars twinkling in return. "Is it nighttime already? Time really flies."
Girlfriend quietly stood by Link. "..." She took the bunny face off, the happy thing contrasting her solemn face. "The day is over. Thanks for today." She walked to the fountain, arms crossed and resting upon the fountain wall. "I... wanted to see what it was like, even just once, to go shopping and pay by myself and play..." She stared at her own reflection in the water for a while. Then, she sweetly looked back at Link, eyelids slightly closed. "...just like a normal girl..."
He stared, rather clueless, but she wasn't bothered. He put the bunny ears and white mask away.
Link stepped forth. "Your name... Tell me your name." He pointed his thumb to himself. "I'm Link."
She didn't reply.
Unbothered, Link happily opened his mouth. "Let's play again sometime."
Her face shifted to worry. She raised her hand to her chest, chin low, hesitating. "I'm..."
Navi turned yellow.
CLOMP
CLOMP
CLOMP
Three veiled women darted in curved shoes through the darkness, each brandishing large shamshirs in either hand. Ornamented in headbands and armbands of bejeweled gold, wearing sleeveless short tops and loose trousers, the dark women had long red hair also set in ponytails, their aquiline noses and yellow eyes accentuating their looks and ferocity.
W
O
O
S
H
Link looked over his shoulder as the women leapt through the air, he quite alarmed. Feet apart, Link stood his ground, girlfriend startled behind him. "Wh-Who are you guys?"
The women approached, the leader's blades outwards. They posed with their blades.
The leader pointed her blade forth. She spoke with a raspy voice, "Girl...we know who you are! Give us the Ocarina of Time!"
Girlfriend frowned, eyes shiny, still startled and a little sweaty. She spun around and fled. DASH
The leader's eyes frenzied up. "You can't escape!" She swung...
"Hahh!" Link slashed into the incoming blade.
KL
A
NK
Despite how small the Kokiri Sword was, it stood up to the broad, curved blade, much to the wielder's surprise.
Link's friend leaned away in fear, Link undeterred by the odds. The fierce woman kicked Link's shield and he staggered, bumping into his friend who fell down.
The boy regained himself. "HYAAHH!" His Jump Attack landed hard against the woman's crossed swords, unleashing hefty sparks. "Hahh! Hoh! Hyaahh!" Link slashed over and over, though his much taller foe stepped away easily, parrying his attacks.
She swung back, Link blocking with his shield as the two other ladies encircled him. Link bashed his shield while parrying, performing his interceptions continuously, preventing the ladies' advance.
Feet apart, Link stood defiantly, sword and shield ready, his friend still on the ground, surprised by Link's fortitude.
The leader frowned at the stubborn boy but made no further attacks. "Hmph! Who are you?" Link didn't reply. She glared at the courageous boy, old memories flashing in her mind. This must be Arn's son...
Shh!
The woman behind the leader looked sideways. "Someone's coming!"
The women darted off down an alley.
TAK
TAK TAK
"W-Wait!" Link ran after them...
The girl picked herself up, watching Link disappear into the darkness. She went after him, a silhouette appearing behind her.
THUMP
THUMP
A woman's voice spoke, "Princess..."
The blondie paused mid-step. Hesitating, she turned her head innocently, still a little sweaty. "Impa..."
The tall, muscular woman's face softened. "I'm glad you're safe. Now come back to the castle."
The girl leaned into Impa, the woman closing her eyes and putting her arms around the girl.
Letting go of Impa, the girl pondered about everything. She closed her eyes and calmed down. "Okay..."
Link reappeared, rushing out an alleyway, Deku Shield on his back.
HUFF
HUFF
"Huh?" Link looked to and fro. "She's gone..."
Navi panted. "She probably just went home. Girls can be fickle."
Link froze; something caught his attention.
A blue ocarina lied on the ground. He picked it up, examining the peculiar thing.
Navi hovered close. "We're wasting time. Let's go to the castle, Link."
Link kept staring at the ocarina. This is hers... She showed me earlier... "This sorta looks like the ocarina Saria gave me... ...But it's different." He sighed, pocketing the precious instrument.
The moon remained high in the night sky.